CHAPTER
NINE:
Paradox
Captain's Log, Stardate 57123.5
We had been in slipstream for less than twenty minutes when the ship came to a sudden stop. We've encountered an older version of Lexus and we are attempting to establish communications with the ship. Our sensors indicate that the ship in front of us is in fact Lexus but it is aged by fifty years.
"Status, Mr. Chang," JR said as he walked around the bridge to stand beside Ensign Chell.
"Captain, they seem to be hailing us, but I can't locate the frequency," replied Austin.
"Open a channel on all frequencies," he said.
"Channel open, Sir," replied Chang.
"Federation vessel, this is Captain James R, Kirk of the Federation Starship Lexus," he said. "Are you in need of assistance?"
"I've established a connection with the ship, Captain," said Austin.
"On screen," he said.
"This is Captain James R. Kirk of the Federation Starship Lexus," said the man on the screen. JR was shocked to see how much they looked alike. It was like looking at an older version of himself. "With whom am I speaking?"
"I am also Captain James R. Kirk of the Federation Starship Lexus," said JR. "How is this possible?"
"I assure you it is possible, Captain," said the man. "If I could transport to your Lexus I'll be able to better explain the circumstances."
"I assume you know the transport frequency," replied JR.
"I do," said the man. "Captain Kirk out."
"Juliet, Alex, come with me," JR said as he headed for the turbo lift. "Captain Kirk to Seven of Nine."
"Go ahead, Captain," came Seven's voice.
"Meet me in transporter room three," he said. "Please ask Icheb and Axum to join us."
"Aye, Captain," she said.
They met Seven and the others when they got to the transporter room. He explained what was going on as quickly as he could. Once inside, Ensign Miller told him that the other captain was prepared to transport.
"Energize," he said and waited while his older self transported aboard.
"Captain," said the aged Captain Kirk. "I can't tell you what a shock it was to find you, but I'm happy that I did. This may be just the chance I needed to set right what went wrong."
JR stared at him for a long moment before he suggested that they talk in the conference room. The elder captain followed them to the turbo lift and then to the conference room. The whole time he was telling them how great it was to see them again. JR got the distinct impression that he was talking to them as if he hadn't seen them in quite some time. He wondered about that. Weren't their older selves on his ship?
"JR, where is Chad?" Captain Kirk asked when they were seated in the conference room.
"He's on the bridge," replied JR. He was very uncomfortable about this. He couldn't stop thinking that it might be a trap. He so wanted to consult the Janeway program.
"I'd like to see him before I leave the ship," said Captain Kirk.
"I'm sure we can arrange that," said JR. "Now tell me what's happened to bring your ship into contact with mine."
"Nika died," replied Captain Kirk. "That's how I could get out of the time loop he'd put me in, but it had already been fifty years. It took seven more for me to find you."
"Nika?" JR asked.
"He's an Ocampan male that is currently hiding on your holodeck," replied Captain Kirk. "When I found him all those years ago I sent him back to Ocampa in a shuttle. At least I thought I did. It wasn't until we'd been in the time loop for ten years that I learned he was still on my ship."
"Wait a minute," said JR. "You're saying there is an Ocampan male hiding on my ship and that he is going to put us in a time loop that will keep us in limbo for over fifty years?"
"Yes," replied Captain Kirk. "Have Security do a sweep of the holodeck. You'll find him."
"Seven, why don't you and Axum see what you can find?" JR asked.
"Aye, Captain," she said. She eyed the aging Captain Kirk as she and Axum left the conference room.
"How is it possible that this Ocampan male could put me in a time loop to begin with?" asked JR once they were gone.
"He isn't just Ocampan," replied Captain Kirk. "I'm not sure if it's the effect of the Kazon genetics mixed with Ocampan or not, but I suspect that it is. The EMH on my ship has performed an autopsy on Nika. He's told me that his brain is quite unique."
"Ocampa and Kazon?" JR asked.
"Seven of Nine to Captain Kirk," came Seven's voice.
"Go ahead," JR and the aging captain said at the same time.
"Forgive me, Captain," said Captain Kirk. "Habit."
"Understood," said JR. "Go ahead, Seven."
"We've found him, Captain," she said.
"Bring him to the conference room," he replied.
"Understood," she said.
"Computer, activate Emergency Medical Holographic Program in the Senior Conference Room," he said.
"Please state the nature of the medical emergency," said The Doctor as he materialized.
"No emergency, Doctor," said JR. "There is an Ocampan stowaway on his way here and I'd like you to take a look at his DNA."
"I see," he said. "Computer, medical tricorder."
The tricorder materialized in his hand as Seven and the others came in with the dark haired Ocampan male. JR could see right away that there was something strange about him. His eyes were far darker than any Ocampan eyes he'd seen. His face looked different as well. His hair was very coarse.
"I am Nika of Ocampa," he said as he was brought into the conference room. He shied away from The Doctor as he tried to scan him.
"Relax, Nika," said JR. "The Doctor is only scanning you."
"You must grant me asylum, Captain," said Nika. "I can't return to Ocampa. They'll kill me."
"And why would they kill you?" asked JR.
"My father is Kazon," he explained. "I'm hated among both peoples."
"Much has changed for the Ocampa and Kazon," informed JR. "They've declared peace."
"It doesn't matter, Captain," said Nika. "They'll kill me."
"Captain," said Juliet, getting to her feet. "He believes what he is saying. He's very frightened."
"I should tell you that I don't like the position you've put me in," said JR. "Tell me about the time loop you're planning to put my ship in if we don't grant you asylum."
"Time loop?" he asked. "I don't understand."
"Surely you can see that my older self is also in this room," said JR. "He has somehow come back in time to warn me about what you're planning."
"But I'm not planning anything," said Nika. "I thought I would hide on your holodeck until you got far enough away that I could reveal myself without you turning back. I know nothing about time loops."
"He's lying, Captain," said Juliet.
"Sedate him, Doctor," said JR. "I don't know how advanced his mind is and I don't want any tricks."
"Yes, Captain," said The Doctor. He instructed the computer to prepare his hypo spray and then it materialized in his hand.
"Please, Captain," said Nika just before The Doctor sedated him. "They will kill me. They've tried before."
"Walk with me, Captain," said JR once Seven and Axum had a firm grip on Nika. "Seven, take him to the brig." He turned to the doctor. "I'll want him to remain sedated until I've had a chance to talk this out with . . . myself."
"Yes, Captain," said The Doctor.
"Your story has checked out," said JR once he and his older self were out of the transporter room. "I have to admit I was a little suspicious of you."
"Of course you were," replied his older self. "I would have been as well. I can't tell you how good it is to see the crew alive and whole again."
"What do you mean?" JR asked, stopping.
"I'd like to wait until I can talk to you and Chad about this," said his older self. "We can transport over to my Lexus if you'd like."
"That won't be necessary," replied JR, still thinking that there may be a trap involved.
"Still don't trust me completely," said his older self with an appraising look.
"Forgive me," said JR. "With Nika all but admitting that he is capable of a time loop, what's to say he isn't capable of something more bizarre?"
"Very wise," said his older self. "I have to say that I don't remember being quite this wise when I was young."
"Being on this ship has definitely taught me a few things," he said as they stepped into the turbo lift. "Deck One."
"You're going to grant him asylum, aren't you?" asked his older self.
"I'm not sure," admitted JR. "I don't like being scared into anything. I'm also certain that things on Ocampa have changed enough that he will be safe if he returns there."
"But how are you going to convince him?"
"Well I'm hoping that between the two of us we'll come up with something," replied JR as the doors opened on the bridge. "Lieutenant Dodds, please join us in my Ready Room."
"Aye, Captain," said Chad, getting up from his seat and following them across the bridge.
"It's very good to see you again, Chad," said the aged Captain Kirk as soon as the door closed and they were safely in the Ready Room. "I've missed you, my friend."
"Missed me?" Chad asked. "But isn't my older self on your ship?"
"There are forty-seven people, counting myself on my Lexus," said the aged captain. "All but three of them are children of the former crew. I'm sorry, Chad, but for me you've been dead for nearly thirty years."
"JR?" Chad asked with a shaky voice as he turned to look at his friend.
"Calm down, Chad," said JR. "I'm not sure I'd have revealed that information so bluntly, Captain."
"Between us and Chad there was never any softening of a situation," replied the aged captain. "I understand that the news was shocking, but I felt that a direct approach was the best one where Chad is concerned."
"You say that the crew on your ship are the children of the crew on mine?" JR asked after a long moment.
"Solves the old question of holo cloning, doesn't it?" laughed the aged Captain. "Believe me when the first pregnancy was announced Chad and I were a nervous wreck."
"But of course the pregnancy was viable," prodded JR.
"Yes," replied the aged captain. "And only the first of many. Being stuck in an endless void caused the crew to turn to each other for comfort. Naturally romantic relationships developed."
"Who of the original crew is left?" JR asked.
"Telsia, Chell and myself," replied the aged captain. "My first officer is Anikan, Seven and Axum's oldest son."
JR and Chad just looked at each other. This was all too much for them to even process. Instead they asked questions about the void he'd spoken of. He told them that there were no stars in his world until Nika died and the time loop ended. Then they asked how it was that he'd traveled back in time, and he told them about a temporal rift that Anikan had formed in space that brought them back to this time. They'd searched for seven years until they'd detected the slipstream.
"All of this is the work of an Ocampan - Kazon hybrid?" Chad asked after it was all explained to him. "We should kill him ourselves."
"Chad," JR said quickly. "We can't kill him."
"You can't keep him sedated forever, either," said the aged captain. "Sooner or later he's going to wake up, and then he's going to want an answer."
"Asylum or a time loop?" Chad asked. "JR I want to go home. I don't want to die in a void."
"I'm not going to let that happen, Chad," said JR. "Captain Kirk, I think it's time that I see your ship."
"I'm coming, too," said Chad.
"Of course," said JR as they left the ready room.
"Alex, Telsia, come with us to the transporter room," he said as he crossed the bridge. "Captain Kirk to Seven of Nine."
"Go ahead, Captain," she replied.
"I'd like you and Axum to accompany me to the other ship," he said.
"Yes, Captain," replied Seven.
THE LEXUS CHRONICLES